A Minute of Silence by HW Freedman

This Play is the copyright of the Author and must NOT be Performed without the Author’s PRIOR consent

PROLOGUE

(SOUND OVER: Music of the HUNGARIAN RAG as ... )

(BARRY and PLAYERS ENTER

BARRY goes to his workbench to repair a shoe and to watch the PLAYERS as they
practice their tricks, acrobatics, juggling.)

(SHEM appears and interrupts the action.)

(SOUND OVER: MUSIC volume reduces to play under SHEM’S voice.)

(PLAYER-4 Signs for SHEM as PLAYERS go on their knees and also Sign
but in an exaggerated manner.)

SHEM: (SPEAKING to the Audience.) Ladies and Gentlemen! Once upon a
time, a shoemaker joined our circus. He was such a quiet man we
confessed to him our most intimate secrets. He listened and watched
with his soulful eyes, but did his silence make him wise?

(SHEM goes to PLAYER 1 and PLAYER 5 who mime a question mark.)

(SOUND OVER: MUSIC increases in volume as SHEM sits next to BARRY.
PLAYERS begin to move in rhythm to the music as . . . )

End of PROLOGUE

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

(TIME: The Present. Mid-morning)

(SOUND OVER: MUSIC Continues.)

(PLAYER-2 becomes ZACH and PLAYER-3 becomes ANDREA.)

(DORA ENTERS and PLAYER-1 joins her to sign for her.)

(PLAYER-4 will sign for ANDREA and PLAYER-5 will sign for ZACH.)

(In the Half-light we can see BARRY and SHEM at the workbench quietly
repairing a shoe.)

(SOUND OVER: MUSIC Fades Out.)

(DORA is attractive, confident, well dressed in a business suit. She
is completing a consultation with ANDREA and ZACH.)

(PLAYERS-1, 4 and 5 can see each other and they sign to each other,
but they are INVISIBLE TO DORA, ANDREA & ZACH.)

ANDREA: You must convince Barry to come home.

DORA: I’ll do my best.

ANDREA: He should lead a normal life. He shouldn’t be repairing
shoes.

DORA: I’ll talk to him.

ZACH: How will you approach him?

DORA: I’ll find a way.

ANDREA: Barry graduated from University with honours.

DORA: You’ve told me.

ZACH: More than once.

ANDREA: Barry is a good boy.

ZACH: He is not a boy; he is 30 years old.

(DORA extends her hand to ANDREA who takes it.)

DORA: Goodbye, Mrs. Morgan.

(ANDREA holds onto DORA’S hand as she speaks.)

ANDREA: You will help us, won’t you?

DORA: I’ll do my best. I’ll find a way to see him tomorrow.
(DORA retrieves her hand from ANDREA’S grip and extends her hand to
ZACH who shakes it.) Mr. Morgan. And don’t worry

(DORA partially shields her eyes as she tries to normalise her speech
– PLAYER-1 mimics her.)

DORA: You’re making me feel uncomfortable.

BARRY: If you cover your eyes I can’t read your lips.

DORA: Nonsense.

BARRY: The eyes are very important.

DORA: You’re serious.

BARRY: Of course.

DORA: I feel like a fool. I’m sorry.

BARRY: Don’t be. It happens to everyone.

DORA: You pretended not to understand.

BARRY: I was blinded by your radiance.

DORA: I thought you were speechless.

BARRY: I’m dumbfounded by your wit.

DORA: Now you’re making fun of yourself and I feel like crying.
(BARRY takes out a huge handkerchief and blows his nose loudly.
BARRY throws the handkerchief to DORA — she automatically catches it
and gives a short scream as she holds it away from herself for BARRY
to take it.)
Ahh!! Take it.

(BARRY refuses to take the handkerchief.)

BARRY: Everything I have is yours.

(DORA is still holding the handkerchief between two fingers.)

DORA: Take it.

(BARRY takes it.)

BARRY: Thank you.

(DORA takes out a tissue and wipes her hands, PLAYER-1 mimes what Dora
does.)

(SHEM & PLAYER-1 blow Whistles and in a hullabaloo of MUSIC, sirens,
bells, fire-engines and horns, ALL OTHER PLAYERS ENTER as cowboy
Bandits. BARRY and DORA can see the PLAYERS now. PLAYERS
‘hold-up’ the audience and go through some mock antics ending with
a big BURP from PLAYER-4 after which SHEM, blows a WHISTLE and BARRY &
DORA Freeze. PLAYERS kneel to watch and listen. MUSIC ENDS.)

(PLAYER-4 will Sign for SHEM.)

SHEM: (Speaking to the Audience.) Ladies and Gentlemen. Nobody moves!
Indeed she came to retrieve her shoes! But why would she come here?
Is it a trick? There must be a liar in our midst! A deceiver tells
lies with truth intermixed. But that lovely face could never tell
lies. It must be the quiet one’s secretive eyes. It must be him!
Oh my! Let’s see what develops. I hope a surprise.

(BARRY and DORA resume their action.)

BARRY: You never brought me your shoes.

DORA: I left them for you to repair.

BARRY: Ah, yes.
(Holds up an oversized clown shoe.)
These!

DORA: Not those.

BARRY: Who knows?

(MUSIC as…)

(BARRY runs around putting the shoe in front of the faces of the
PLAYERS and each holds his/her nose and one by one they run to exit as
they produce fumigation pumps to spray the shoe.)

(After PLAYERS 2,3,4,5 have EXITED BARRY reaches DORA and she recoils
and runs from him.)

(SOUND OVER: MUSIC ENDS.)

DORA: Stay away!

(BARRY stalks DORA with the shoe.)

BARRY: They’re yours! You’ll be a sensation at the office. Are you
a happy or sad clown?

(BARRY produces a stool for DORA to sit on. He takes out his
handkerchief and dusts it off. DORA hesitates because it is the same
handkerchief BARRY had used to blow his nose. BARRY realises this and
takes a rag from the workbench and dusts off the stool seat. DORA
sits on the stool.)

(BARRY now begins to move in a semi-circle from SL to UPSCTR to SR of
DORA as he speaks.)